Haas NewsWire

Haas NewsWire, April 28, 2003

** Mark your calendars for the Dean's End of the Year Party to be held on Friday, May 9 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the Haas School courtyard. The party will include food, beer, soda, and entertainment as well as the announcement of the winner of the Cheit Teaching Awards and GSI Awards. ***

A new weight-loss technology being developed by Gastric Retention Technologies (GRT) won the $50,000 grand prize in the fifth annual UC Berkeley Business Plan Competition on Wednesday, April 23. The firm's novel approach to weight-loss programs may soon allow physicians to curb not only their patients' intake of food, but in many cases their desire for food.

GRT is developing a non-invasive approach to losing weight without the need for drugs or surgery. Patients would swallow a pill containing a polymer that would expand once it reaches the stomach, thereby reducing the feeling of hunger. The polymer itself would dissolve in a matter of days.

The GRT principals are Dan Burnett, an MD and an MBA graduate from Duke University, and Nate Beyor, a Ph.D. student in Bioengineering at UC Berkeley.

"GRT holds the promise of a truly safe and effective alternative to surgery for the millions of people suffering from obesity," said Rebecca Robertson, managing director at Versant Ventures and a competition judge.

The second prize of $10,000 went to VSee Lab. VSee Lab has developed proprietary software that drives the first viable desktop video-conference system, allowing up to 20 students and teachers to see and hear each other simultaneously. Berkeley MBA students David Geisler and Robert Lee helped founder and CEO Milton Chen, an undergraduate Berkeley alumnus, with the business plan for his software.

Medifuel took both the third-place prize of $5,000 and the People's Choice award of $5,000, the latter of which was voted on by the audience at Wednesday's final event. Medifuel is developing the first miniature Biological Fuel Cell (BFC) that promises to solve the power problem of the next generation of implantable medical devices. The company's GlucoCell battery harnesses the body's natural energy resource -- glucose -- to power implants, thereby eliminating the need for traditional batteries, which need to be replaced by way of surgery. Berkeley MBA students Ken Bui and David Tseng joined inventor Kien Lam in creating a company around Lam's GlucoCellTM.

The business plan competition was founded and is organized by Berkeley MBA students. It is hosted by the Lester Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation in collaboration with the College of Engineering and the School of Information Management & Systems as well as UC San Francisco's health sciences campus.

The Lester Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the Haas School selected six Berkeley MBA students from a pool of more than two dozen applicants for the 2003 Venture Capital Fellowships. These fellows will participate in the Lester Center's venture capital summer internship program with leading area venture capitalists.

The objective of this program is to create paths for success in venture capital for Haas MBA students. The internship provides the fellows with hands-on experience working with a leading venture capital firm under the mentorship of a venture capitalist. This year's fellows are Robert W. Chan, Will Gordon, Carter Keller, Sanjay Kothari, Leo R. de Luna, and Waldemar A. Mozes. All of the fellows are first-year Berkeley MBA students, and Mozes is in the first year of the Evening & Weekend MBA program.

Now in its seventh year, the program has in the past placed students in firms such as Morgan Stanley Venture Partners, US Venture Partners, Sevin Rosen Funds, Hummer Winblad, and Institutional Venture Partners.

"Last year's experience at Sevin Rosen Funds was a great look behind the scenes and an invaluable experience in dealing with VCs and other investors for my current startup situation and my future career," says former fellow Gerrit J. van Roekel, MBA 2003.

The fellow-selection process was highly competitive with more than four qualified applicants for each of the six fellowships. The selection process is based on a written application for the first round and, for the finalists, personal interviews with experienced venture capitalists. The Lester Center awards each recipient a $1,000 fellowship funded by the Price Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. Participating firms who agree to host an intern are asked to provide a monthly salary of approximately $5,000.

For more information on the program or to find out more about hosting a Lester Center Venture Capital Fellow, contact David Charron at charron@haas.berkeley.edu.

Hadi Witanto Tan, a graduating senior in the Haas School undergraduate program, has received the Chancellor's Community Service Award for his contributions as a mentor to the Young Entrepreneurs at Haas (YEAH) program.

Tan worked with three fellow student mentors to develop lesson plans for the YEAH program. He has mentored over 60 McClymonds High School students and 25 Cole Middle School students through YEAH.

"It is inspiring to see Hadi bridge the cultural gap in the classroom as a mentor," says Oscar Wolters-Duran, director of the YEAH program. "His contagious enthusiasm and genuine caring for the west Oakland high school students he mentors brightens the room and leaves a lasting impression. I'm sure because of Hadi, there are many young people who now have the confidence and desire to go on to college."

The YEAH program uses the principles and real-life lessons of business, finance, and entrepreneurship to educate underserved youth and support their advancement to higher education. The program has prepared more than one thousand young people for success in college and in the world of business and finance. Currently, the program serves nearly 300 students from dozens of schools in the Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, and West Contra Costa school districts.

The Chancellor's Community Service Awards were created by the chancellor to recognize the outstanding contributions of students, staff, faculty, and student groups to the university's mission of public service. Awardees will receive special awards made from artwork by local elementary school children at the public award ceremony on May 1 at the Berkeley YWCA, located at 2600 Bancroft Way, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

In war-ravaged Afghanistan, one Berkeley MBA student is accomplishing what economic development advisors dream about -- bringing socially responsible economic development opportunities to Afghanistan.

Combining traditional crafts with Western business savvy, Berkeley MBA student Sarah Takesh, MBA 03, is creating a socially conscious, upscale apparel and accessories company that aims to distribute its wares in the finest boutiques in New York, Paris, London, and Rome.

Tarsian & Blinkley, the new venture, harnesses Afghans' ethnic crafts of sewing, embroidery, and leather- and metal-work in return for equitable compensation: wages well above the local norm, training, childcare, and health benefits. The venture works with Afghan people in the capital, Kabul, with future plans for Herat, West Afghanistan, the rural northern regions of the country, and possibly Peshawar, Pakistan.

The company's potential for profitability combined with its significant social impact has earned it two victories in April. It won the top prize of the National Social Venture Competition on April 12, a competition organized by the Haas School, Columbia Business School, and The Goldman Sachs Foundation, and a second prize at the Carrot Capital Business Plan Challenge in New York.

Her passion for adventure travel lured Takesh to the far reaches of Central Asia along the Silk Road three years ago. The beauty of this region and the charm and nobility of its tribal societies, Afghans in particular, inspired Takesh to her venture.

A native of Iran, Takesh not only speaks Dari, the Afghan language, but also has a penchant for fashion. She earned her chops working in production and design for several apparel startups in New York before going to b-school. Now, as CEO of Tarsian & Blinkley, she designs the clothes, buys the fabrics, and manages the relationships with her Afghan partners.

"What affected me so much was noticing how a little economic development assistance makes the tribes people so much more friendly to us as outsiders," she said.

Tarsian & Blinkley also recruited key management talent, including a buyer of European designer sportswear for Bloomingdale's and a former vice president at Banana Republic, as well as classmate Matthew Upton, MBA 03, who has finance and budgeting experience with firms such as Nike, The Gap, Victoria's Secret, and Johnson & Johnson.

One of the venture's goals is to improve the plight of Afghan women, who have suffered much under the oppression of the Taliban regime. "Everyone is still scared," she says. "No native woman dares to take her burka off." She sees her venture as "a subtle and subversive statement to celebrate feminine beauty right in the heart of the place where it was almost totally obliterated."

Faculty, alumni, and students are invited to hear Playtex CEO Michael Gallagher, BS 67, MBA 68, talk about branding and to brush up on the latest trends in corporate social responsibility, biotech, stocks, and entrepreneurship at the annual Haas School Faculty/Alumni Colloquium on May 10.

The colloquium, an event that is open to the entire Haas community, focuses on varied aspects of the challenges of doing business in the current economy. It will take place in multiple rooms on the Haas campus on Saturday, May 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Gallagher's remarks will be followed by an alumni panel, which will address the change in entrepreneurship since the bursting of the Internet bubble. The panel will be followed by breakout sessions, where distinguished Haas faculty will discuss timely topics.

The day's events include:

"Post Dot-Com: Back to the Old Entrepreneurship," an alumni panel discussion

"Corporate Social Responsibility: Integrated Core Corporate Strategy or Disconnected One-Off Programs?" by Kellie McElhaney, executive director of the Center for Responsible Business

"The New New Consumer: Same as the Old One, but Now Marketers have Better Tools" by Jose Silva

"Creating Value in your Workforce: Affiliation is a Foundation," a management leadership workshop by Ron Elsdon.

For registration and more information, please visit http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/alumni/colloquium/. All current Haas students receive free admission to the colloquium, but they must register by May 2. This event is hosted by the Alumni Relations office and the Haas Alumni Network and sponsored, in part, by the Haas Annual Fund.

Two teams made up of students from the Haas School and UC Berkeley received finalist honors in the University of San Francisco International Business Plan Competition.

MicroReactor Technologies team members Michel Maharbiz, a graduate student in the College of Engineering, Chris Baker, MBA 03, and Gerrit van Roekel, MBA 03, aim to become the world market leader in high-throughput micro-reactor systems for the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and chemical research industries.

Medifuel team members Ken Bui, MBA David Tseng, Kien Lam, Asma Asyyed, Larry Fan, John Grant, and Mu Chiao, are trying to become the leading supplier of self-sustaining micro-power sources for implantable medical devices using thier proprietary MEMS-based BioFuel Cell power technology. In the UC Berkeley Business Plan competition, Medifuel took third place and the People's Choice award.

Each team won $1,000 and gained exposure to over 25 venture capital partners

The day-to-day adventures of running a major sports franchise will be revealed by Peter Harris, CEO of the San Francisco 49ers, when he speaks at the Haas School on Tuesday, May 6, in the Wells Fargo Room at 7:00 p.m.

Harris will be discussing his career path leading up to the 49ers, how an MBA student might pursue a career within a professional franchise, the organizational structure of the 49ers franchise, and the unique characteristics and challenges involved in being an executive for a sports franchise, compared with that of a large public corporation.

As a CEO of various organizations for the past 20 years, Harris is considered one of the creators of what is known today as "entertainment retailing," creating interactive and entertaining experiences for customers while they shop. Harris became an executive early, taking his first president/CEO position at the age of 36 at Gemco Department Stores.

A reception will be held in the Wells Fargo Room from 7:00 to 7:45 p.m. followed by his presentation from 7:45 to 9:00 p.m. All graduate students are welcome to attend both the reception and the event. The event is co-sponsored by the Entertainment Management Association and the Sports Marketing & Management course.

The Haas School of Business was mentioned in Forbes Magazine on April 28 in the article, "Follow-Through." The article mentioned white-collar criminal Walter Pavlo's speech at Haas.

Assistant Professor Florian Zettelmeyer commented on the increasing use of the Internet for car shopping in the New York Times on April 24. The article, titled "How Much is That Civic Online?" also referred to three of Zettelmeyer's recently published papers. Read the full article at http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/24/business/24SCEN.html.

Severin Borenstein, the E.T. Grether Professor in Public Policy and Business Administration, commented on whether US Airways will pull its hub from Pittsburgh in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on April 23. Read the full article, titled "Will US Airways get what it wants to stay?" at http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/03113/178249.stm.

Severin Borenstein remarked on the impact of the War in Iraq on summer gas prices in CNBC: Business Center on April 18 in the section, "Analysis: What to expect in summer gas prices and why."

David Aaker, the E.T. Grether Professor of Marketing and Public Policy, remarked on McDonald's partner brand strategies in Fortune Magazine on April 14 in the article, "Can McDonald's Cook Again? The great American icon ain't what it used to be."

HOW TO IDENTIFY AN ENTREPRENEUR! WITH JOE COSTELLO
Wednesday, April 30
3:30 to 5:00 p.m. with sushi reception to follow
Sibley Auditorium
For more information call Teresa Moore at 510-643-6803.
Joe Costello, CEO and chairman of Think3, was previously president and CEO of Cadence Design Systems. Under his leadership Cadence grew to have $1 billion revenues in 1997, becoming one of the largest software suppliers in the world. In 1997, Chief Executive Magazine named him the top performing CEO of all publicly traded companies in North America. He also made Upside Magazine's 1997 "Elite 100" list of the top executives leading the digital revolution.

THRIVING IN TODAY'S CHANGING BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE
Hosted by the Haas School's Center for Financial Reporting and Management (CFRM) and KPMG LLP
Thursday, May 1
7:30 a.m. to noon
The Palace Hotel in San Francisco
This seminar focuses on the new face of corporate governance, how to measure and manage financial risk, and the current economic outlook. In addition, the legal aspects of the auditor and audit committee relationship, the status of the new Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, and steps to implement the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, will be covered.
The cost is $250 per person; $200 for each additional person from the same company. To register call 510-642-6334 or e-mail cfrm@haas.berkeley.edu. For more information visit http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/accounting/cfrm/conferences/may2003.

MANAGEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY SERIES
"Technology, Turmoil and Opportunity" by Geoffrey Moore, Founder, The Chasm Group
Wednesday, May 7
4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Wells Fargo Room
For more information, contact Susan Reneau at sreneau@haas.berkeley.edu or 510-643-1398.

FACULTY ALUMNI COLLOQUIUM
Haas School of Business
Saturday, May 10
8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The Haas Alumni Network presents Haas faculty and alumni speaking on a variety of topics, issues, and trends relevant in today's global economy. All Haas alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends are invited.
The keynote speaker, Michael Gallagher, BS 67, MBA 68, CEO of Playtex Products, Inc., will speak from his own experience of 35 years in the consumer products industry. Gallagher's remarks will be followed by an alumni panel, addressing the change in entrepreneurship since the bursting of the Internet bubble. The panel will be followed by breakout sessions, where distinguished Haas faculty will discuss timely topics - corporate business responsibility, biotech, investor behavior, and consumer behavior.
To register, go to http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaid=46268.
Please RSVP by May 2. For more details about the day, go to http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/alumni/colloquium/.

FINANCE SEMINAR
"Go Down Fighting: Short Sellers vs. Firms" by Owen Lamont, University of Chicago
Thursday, May 1
4:10 p.m. to 5:40 p.m.
Room C210
For more information, contact June Wong at june@haas.berkeley.edu.

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS SEMINAR
"The Ecology of Organization Fraud: Normative Illegitimacy Among U.S. Medical Schools, 1765-1908" by Martin Ruef, Professor, Graduate School of Business, Stanford University
Wednesday, May 7
4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Room C325
For more information contact Deborah Houy at houy@haas.berkeley.edu.

FINANCE SEMINAR
"The Economic Value of Flexibility When There is Disagreement" by Anjan Thakor, University of Michigan
Thursday, May 8
4:10 p.m. to 5:40 p.m.
Room C210
For more information, contact June Wong at june@haas.berkeley.edu.

South Bay Alumni - Haas Connection
Thursday, May 1
6:30 p.m.
Location: British Banker's Club, 1090 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, 650-327-8769, http://www.britishbankersclub.com.
There has never been a better and more important time to reconnect to or stay connected with your alumni community. Come meet your fellow alums for conversation and networking.
For more information contact Dan Rosler at HAN_SB@attbi.com.

East Bay Alumni
Home Buyers/Seller Workshop
Saturday, May 3
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Panelists to include a lender, a real estate agent, a home inspector and an appraiser.
Arthur Andersen Auditorium
$7.50 in advance, $10 at the door
Register online: http://www.acteva.com/go/eb-alumni.
Event Contact: Barbara McDonough, MBA 00, b_mcdonough@mba.berkeley.edu.

Bay Area Alumni
A night at the Velvet Lounge
Saturday, May 3
9:00 p.m.
Location: Velvet Lounge, 443 Broadway, SF
Get there early and head to the private room in the Velvet Lounge, the "Red Room," where only Haas folk will be allowed until 11p.m. Then, make your way out to the dance floor and shake it up. Don't miss this chance to catch up and enjoy a memorable night out on the town. Friends and significant others invited.

GREEN BUILDING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR
Hosted by the Urban Land Institute and co-sponsored by the Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics, Berkeley Real Estate Alumni Club, Berkeley Real Estate Club, and San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association
Tuesday, May 6
4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., followed by a reception until 8:00 p.m.
Pacific Energy Center
851 Howard Street, San Francisco
The field of Green Building has matured in to a realistic set of performance-based guidelines set out by the US Green Building Council's LEED standard. This panel will explore the challenges and opportunities developers face in designing, constructing, financing, entitling and marketing green buildings for the private sector. The panel is moderated by Lynn N. Simon, Simon & Associates. Panelists include Ted Caulkins, Cushman & Wakefield; Mike Iker, Turner Construction; Ann Ludwig, Alameda County Waste Management Authority; and Erik Robbins, Gordon Development Company.

East Bay Alumni - Haas Connection - San Ramon
Wednesday, May 7
7:30 p.m.
Location: Mudd's Restaurant, San Ramon
The East Bay Chapters no-host monthly alumni networking event will be held out on "the other side of the tunnel" this month at Mudd's restaurant in San Ramon http://www.muddsrestaurant.com
Event contact: Satnman Nahal, MBA 97, satnam_nahal@mba.berkeley.edu.

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